Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Delta needs to co-ordinate transport policy

With the confirmation by the Ministry of Railways and the Guangdong Railway Group Company ("Guangzhou-Zhuhai rail link to boost regions west of Delta", June 28) of its 19.5 billion yuan construction of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai rail link, the missing rail link for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge becomes even more questionable.

The lobby against rail includes those who hope to build and operate a cheap vehicle toll bridge which can pay back their investment quickest. Although such a "quick and simple" solution plays well with officials who joined their chorus, it is an extremely simplistic guide for infrastructure development between Asia's world city and its environs as it excludes many relevant societal costs and benefits.

Failures in negotiating sustainable solutions for infrastructure, urban and environmental projects with our neighbours go beyond the bridge.

Among others, the failure to agree on the dredging and operation of the Tonggu Channel through Hong Kong waters has resulted in Hong Kong losing its ability to apply environmental controls, as Shenzhen has started dredging the channel just outside our waters (at a cost of an extra 300 million yuan).

Cross-border relations between academic, conservancy and green groups for now lack the strength needed to provide a sensible counterbalance.

Let's hope the new chief executive will shore up the negotiation capability of his team and steer them away from the lowest common denominators. We need a sustainable development strategy for the Pearl River Delta and Hong Kong's role therein.

We grow our food and create our wealth in the Pearl River Delta. We are the central business district and cultural hub of the delta. We share the same air and water. This warrants a long-term view based on "one country" rather than "two systems" for transport and logistics infrastructure investments.

PAUL ZIMMERMAN, Mid-Levels